Executive Team
Cecilia Rodriguez, Executive Director
Thousands of children have come through CALM’s doors, but sometimes it is easier to understand what we do by hearing the story of just one child who CALM has helped.
John* is an 11-year-old boy whose father had been violent with John’s mother his entire life. Not surprisingly, John was angry and showed aggression at school, often picking fights with bullies and getting suspended. His mother was having difficulty managing his anger and tantrums at home, and often reacted with violence. Although she was separated from John’s father, she continually compared John negatively to him. When this young boy came to CALM, he told his therapist, “I have no friends. No one loves me. I want to die.”
At CALM, John processed his grief regarding his father’s absence, and his therapist taught him techniques for managing his anxiety and anger. John’s mother began to see that her attitude was negatively affecting her son’s self-esteem; she became more responsive and committed to improving her parenting skills, learning to praise her son and support his progress.
John has grown in self confidence. He now has friends, and even ran for class president. He no longer gets in fights at school. Although he is still sad about his father’s absence, he is able to express his feelings in appropriate ways. John is very proud that he is “graduating” from CALM. This child feels a sense of safety for the first time in his life, and we know from experience that his entire life will be different as a result.
Every day I see children like John whose homes are safer and lives are happier because of the work we do at CALM. Despite the difficult economic climate, CALM remains committed to maintaining the very highest quality and level of service that our children and families have always received and deserve. Our dedicated staff has implemented programs to address all aspects of child abuse and neglect, and has led the way in breaking down barriers to service in our community. In these challenging times, parents are under more pressure than ever — which means that our community needs CALM more than ever.
I would like to thank you, our generous donors, for your unfailing support. With your help, CALM looks forward to continuing to provide outstanding service to the most vulnerable in our community.
Cecilia Rodriguez, MFT
Executive Director
Cecilia Rodriguez, MFT
Associate Director
Deborah Holmes, LCSW
Clinical Director
Elizabeth Rumelt, LCSW
Psychological Services Director
Jessica Adams, PhD
Development Director
Monica Intaglietta
Controller
Janet Ames
Office Manager/Human Resources Manager
Susan Arango
* Not his real name
